2022 Offseason Review Series: Las Vegas Raiders

Team: Las Vegas Raiders

Division: AFC West

2021 Season Record: 10-7 (2nd in AFC West)

2021 Season Result: Lost in Wild Card Round to Cincinnati Bengals

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Coaching Changes: Usually a team that makes the playoffs does not go under a sweeping regime change, but under the circumstances the Raiders played under last year, it seemed imminent. With the firing of Mike Mayock & non-retention of Rich Bisaccia, the Raiders brought in a whole new coaching staff.

Coaches Hired:

• All Assistant Coaches Hired: (Grade: B-). Since there was a whole new coaching staff (minus the wide receivers coach), I am just giving a grade for all new assistant coaches. None of them are home run hires, but are all decent hires at least.
• GM: Dave Ziegler (Grade: B): Mark Davis brought in a relatively new, young GM to lead the Raiders to a Super Bowl. The highlight of his career is last year, when he was made de-facto GM for Belichick & brought NE back to the playoffs with a free agency spending spree. Going off his one year success & seemingly solid draft picks, this seems like a hire with an extremely high ceiling potential with not too much downside compared to the recent Mayock-Gruden regime.
• HC: Josh McDaniels (Grade: B+): McDaniels brings a high-quality offense to the Raiders with lots of ways to attack you & carrying a potent Red Zone offense. Only time will tell if McDaniels has matured into a good head coach & if he is capable of leading the team to a Super Bowl title, but all the signs point to great things.
• OC: Mick Lombardi (Grade: A-) - The WRs coach from NE follows McDaniels & will fall into the same role that Olsen was for Gruden.
• DC: Patrick Graham (Grade: B+) - His calling card is Red Zone Efficiency (Top 5 in Red Zone defense), something the Raiders sorely need. He also brings in the new-wave of thinking on defense, mainly running his defense out of nickel, but valuing versatility in his players. This hire makes me think about the 2019 Chiefs where their defense wasn't going to dominate you, but it would keep you from scoring copious amounts of points in the Red Zone, while outscoring you on offense.
• STC: Tom McMahon (Grade: B-) - A veteran coach in the league who has been around for over 15 years, takes over for Rich Bisaccia. There's never been anything spectacular about his groups, the most recent being Denver.

Coaches Fired:

• Interim HC/STC: Rich Bisaccia (Grade: B+) - There is some love with Bisaccia for leading the team through that tumultuous season last year, but he just wasn't cut out for the job. Some of his coaching decisions were questionable and his faith in the abysmal offense Olsen was running just hurt the team. As far as a special teams coordinator, his unit wasn't great, but he had Carlson & Cole to help him out. For the players and some fans, this loss stung a little bit, but is for the better.
• OC: Greg Olsen (Grade: A+) - Watching his offense after the Ruggs incident last year just hurt my brain and heart so much last year. In weeks 5 & 6 it looked like Olsen was a changed man, who wasn't going to throw screens or run the ball the whole game, but then reverted back to his ways midseason. This firing was needed, and an excellent decision.
• DC: Gus Bradley (Grade: B) - This is a hard firing to grade. While Bradley did improve the defense from Guenther's sieve of a defense, he did not make it a good unit. He had a great pass rush, mildly improved pass coverage, and an injury-decimated linebacker corps. He did make the defense somewhat watchable, but the red zone defense was the worst in the league. This firing is good in the sense of improved red zone defense, but we just don't know yet if the defense is going to lose some of its strengths.

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Free Agency: With a new regime running the show, there was a large turnover in players. In the interest of saving space, I will only include notable losses/signings.

*DE Ngakoue traded to IND for CB Ya-Sin

**2022 1st & 2nd Rd Picks traded to GB for WR Adams

Notable Players lost/cut:

Player	Position	New Team
Marcus Mariota	QB	ATL
Casey Hayward	CB	ATL
Brandon Facyson	CB	IND
Zay Jones	WR	JAX
*Yannick Ngakoue	DE	IND

• Mariota (QB) - The Raiders lose that potential Red Zone & 4th down weapon and best back-up in the league. It would have been nicer to see the Raiders retain him earlier in the offseason, & then trade him for draft capital. Grade: B-
• Hayward (CB) - He is meant for zone coverage, while the new scheme is man coverage. I can understand why the Raiders let him walk, but it felt like they could've found a way to keep a man who did so much for the team last year. Grade: C+
• Facyson (CB) - He had the capability to be a great rotational corner that would keep you in games, but give your starters a breather. His loss would've been a big ding if the Raiders didn't sign some more promising CB depth. Grade: B+
• Jones (WR) - He had his flashes of being a solid receiver, but his role in the offense should be a relative ease to replace. Grade: A-
• Ngakoue (DE) - A player most Raiders fans thought would be around for years to come. However, the team felt better with Jones & Ya-Sin. His abilities will be missed, but his return was decent & replacement arguably better. Grade: B

Notable Players Signed/Resigned:

Player	Position	Old Team	Length	Salary
Chandler Jones	OLB	AZ	3 yr	$51M
*Rock Ya-Sin	CB	IND	1 yr	$2.5M
**Davante Adams	WR	GB	5 yr	$141.25M
Bilal Nichols	DT	CHI	2 yr	$8.6M
Johnathan Hankins	DT	Re-Signed	1 yr	$1.3M
Duron Harmon	SS	ATL	1 yr	$1.27M
Jayon Brown	ILB	TEN	1 yr	$1.25M

• Adams (WR) - Finally! Oh how Raider Nation (yours truly included) Adams joined the Silver & Black on St. Adams Day. The best receiver in the league paired with his best friend & college QB Derek Carr is a recipe for success. Grade: A+++
• Jones (OLB) - He's still one of the best pass rushers in the league, despite his age, bringing an elite ability to get to the quarterback. Finding a way to improve one of the best pass-rushing duos in the league is impressive. Grade: A
• Ya-Sin (CB) - Despite health issues, he is one of the best man coverage defenders in the league (and he is still on his rookie contract). Getting him in the last year of his deal gives the Raiders a solid starting cornerback with potential to be so much more. Grade: B+
• Nichols (DT) - A good DT signing that will figure to bolster & anchor the middle of the d-line. He will be consistent, will never stop, & might get home every so often. This is a good signing that carries low risk & possible high reward. Grade: A-
• Hankins (DT) - He was the rock-solid, run stuffing d-line for the Raiders last year. He will hold down the nose tackle spot Patrick Graham loves in his defense, & should do great in that role. Grade: A-
• Harmon (SS) - A good coverage SS, but lacks in run stopping. He should bring good competition for Abram, & if he doesn't win the starting job, he should still see ample playing time on obvious passing downs. Grade: B+
• Brown (ILB) - He has the potential to be a great coverage linebacker, with only injuries holding him back. Grade: A

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2022 Las Vegas Raiders Draft

Round	Number	Player	Position	School
3	90	Dylan Parham	G	Memphis
4	122	Zamir White	RB	Georgia
4	126	Neil Farrell Jr.	DT	LSU
5	175	Matthew Butler	DT	Tennessee
7	227	Thayer Munford	OT	Ohio State
7	250	Brittain Brown	RB	UCLA

Draft Grades:

• Dylan Parham - The versatile offensive lineman is just what the Raiders needed, & it's very probable he earns one of the starting roles. While he is projected to be a quality starting center, he should slide into guard to start his career. Grade: A+
• Zamir White - "Zeus" is a RB similar to Josh Jacobs. While I don't see him taking the starting role from Jacobs, he will be having an audition in 2022 for the starting role in 2023. Grade B
• Neil Farrell Jr. - He doesn't translate much into a pass rusher, but he offers elite run stuffing ability. He definitely won't start, but he will be a great rotational piece for Johnathan Hankins. Grade A-
• Matthew Butler - He is a 3-tech defensive tackle, & figures to offer a great rotational pass rushing defensive tackle & earn more playing time as the year goes on. Grade A-
• Thayer Munford - He is expected to be a journeyman backup lineman & provide some comfort & depth to a rocky position group. Grade B+
• Brittain Brown - I really can't get this pick. It just seems ridiculous to draft a running back that is in no way spectacular, & stands almost no chance of making the team. Grade F
• Overall Draft Grade: A- This was a really good draft overall. Ziegler & McDaniels did a great job of addressing some of our biggest positions of need (Guard & Defensive Tackle), & added to an already impressive running back group, with only one head scratcher pick.

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Other Offseason News

- Shortly after resigning from his head coaching job amidst the e-mail scandal pushed by the NFL, Jon Gruden filed his lawsuit against the league. On May 25th, 2022, a judge denied the motion filed by the NFL to move the suit to arbitration.

- In May of 2022, Mark Davis fired team president Dan Ventrelle. Shortly after, there were accusations of being fired in retaliation for bringing up HR issues (hostile work environment, sexual harassment, etc.).

- On July 7th, 2022, the Raiders hired the first black female team president in league history by way of Sandra Douglass Morgan.

- The Raiders decided to not pick up the 5th year options on Clelin Ferrell, Josh Jacobs, or Johnathan Abram. While Ferrell seems primed to leave, Abram & Jacobs are in a prove it year situation, and will need to show their worth to the new regime.

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Projected Starting Lineup: I know that the starting lineups aren't only 11 players, but they would be the starting player at each position in certain sets (i.e., if there is a fullback, a double-tight set, nickel vs base defense).

OFFENSE:

• QB - Derek Carr
  • Carr is set up for a career year. The only question to his success is if the O-Line will hold up. He should have a great year & threaten 5,000 yards passing again & even go above 30-35 touchdowns.
• RB - Josh Jacobs
  • Running back figures to be a run-by-committee set up, with Kenyan Drake, Zamir White, & even Brandon Bolden getting some carries, but Jacobs figures to be the starter & earn a contract after this season.
• FB - Jakob Johnson
  • No real competition here, just McDaniels starting fullback for when he needs him.
• TE1 - Darren Waller
  • Injuries kept him from having a stellar season last year, but that doesn't change how impactful Waller is when he's on the field. Undeniably a Top-3 tight end, Waller will figure to be the same game-changer he was & light up the field with attention being drawn to Adams & Renfrow.
• TE2 - Foster Moreau
  • Moreau is a great blocker with some upside as a pass catcher in double-tight sets. He was progressing nicely before he seemed to see his targets diminish last year, but figures to continue his progression & be a quality backup.
• WR1 - Davante Adams
  • With the Raiders, Adams figures to be the go-to target, but have more opportunities due to the attention the other offensive weapons are going to get. Expect the best receiver in the league to have a great year (1,200 yards+, 10+ touchdowns).
• WR2 - Demarcus Robinson
  • He is a field stretcher & this shouldn't be much of a competition but will get some push from the likes of Keelan Cole.
• Slot WR - Hunter Renfrow
  • The man with insane route running & reliable hands. Just like with Waller & Adams, expect Renfrow to benefit from the attention that the other two will warrant, & still be breaking cornerbacks ankles.
• LT - Kolton Miller
  • Kolton is the anchor & only great lineman on the offensive line. After a rough rookie year, Miller has only gotten better, & figures to be the reliable tackle he's been for 3 years now
• LG - Denzelle Good
  • I figure he will be one of the starting guards & will help improve an O-line that was bad last year. He should see competition from Jermaine Eluemenor, Dylan Parham, & John Simpson.
• C - Andre James
  • He did show improvement as the season went on but was still not good when the season was over. I expect him to still be progressing, & to probably retain the role of starting center, but not without fierce competition from Dylan Parham.
• RG - Dylan Parham
  • He has the ability to start at either guard position or center, but it's not certain where he'll end up. Experts said he would best project at center, but I think with how rough the rest of the options at guard are, he'll take the starting right guard job (beating out Eluemenor & Simpson).
• RT - Alex Leatherwood
  • One of the more surprising storylines of the offseason has been Leatherwood has been impressive in minicamp & OTA’s, having an early lead in the RT competition. His main competition will be Brandon Parker.

DEFENSE:

• DT - Johnathan Hankins
  • Hankins figures to be a lock for the nose tackle spot on the defensive line. He is a great run-stuffer with some minor pass-rushing ability. His only competition figures to be from Neil Farrell Jr. who is seen as a rotation for Hankins.
• DT - Bilal Nichols
  • Nichols should have the early lead to land the 3-tech defensive tackle spot, as he seemed to have good performances with Chicago. He is expected to be the main pass rushing force on the interior defensive line, getting some push from Kyle Peko & 5th round draft pick Matthew Butler.
• DE - Maxx Crosby
  • He has outperformed his draft slot & earned a huge extension is set up to reign hellfire on opposing offenses this season. While he didn't get to the quarterback as much as other elite edge rushers, his presence is constant & opens up his teammates. There is no competition for his starting spot.
• DE - Chandler Jones
  • Jones is an elite edge rusher who is more than capable of getting home to the quarterback. He figures to benefit off of Crosby's presence & also has no competition for his starting role.
• MLB - Denzel Perryman
  • The leader of the defense last year, Perryman solidified himself as the middle linebacker of this defense for the foreseeable future.
• OLB - Jayon Brown
  • If you watched the Raiders defense last year, you would know that linebacker coverage was abysmal, & Brown figures to fix that. Expect some competition from Micah Kiser & Kyler Fackrell.
• OLB - Divine Deablo
  • Since the defense is expected to run in nickel, I don't expect him to be a starter, but he would be the third linebacker in base sets. Also expect competition from Kiser & Fackrell.
• CB - Trayvon Mullen
  • A solid man-cover corner who has seen his talent & skill dampened by injury after injury. If he can remain healthy, he will be a quality corner for years to come. He will have competition from Rock Ya-Sin for the CB1 role. If his injuries keep him out, he might lose his job to Ya-Sin or Averett.
• CB - Rock Ya-Sin
  • He has great man coverage abilities, but also has health problems, so the Raiders are betting on him remaining healthy & showcasing his ability. He does figure to get the other starting corner role but will have stiff competition from Anthony Averett.
• Slot CB - Nate Hobbs
  • Hobbs has outperformed his draft position as well. He is a great shutdown slot corner, & figures to be one for years to come.
• FS - Trevon Moehrig
  • The second year free safety was solid if not spectacular in his rookie year, & will only figure to improve in Year 2. He is made for a 2 high safety system, which is what he is getting put into under Patrick Graham.
• SS - Duron Harmon
  • Abram has been severely disappointing, but has lacked competition up to this point, & Harmon is just the candidate to take his spot. Duron Harmon should win the spot, with his coverage skills being more desirable than Abram's run stopping abilities.

SPECIAL TEAMS:

• LS - Trent Sieg
  • Rock-solid long snapper that doesn't make mistakes.
• K - Daniel Carlson
  • Daniel "Cash Money" Carlson was as reliable as ever last season, winning game after game with his leg. He will be the Raiders kicker for a long time.
• P - AJ Cole
  • One of the best punters in the league last year with the best hair flow. Cole, just like Carlson, is here to stay.
• KR - Kenyan Drake
  • He returned kicks for the Raiders last year, & figures to do so again this year, although he may see some competition from Mack Hollins or Demarcus Robinson.
• PR - Darius Phillips
  • He returned punts for the Bengals last year & was signed for the same purpose for the Raiders. This will help take some of the pressure & abuse off Renfrow.

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Position Groups Strengths & Weaknesses

• QB
  • Strengths: Derek Carr is a borderline-elite passer, but seems to be criminally underrated. Now with all the weapons at his disposal, expect Carr to go off this year, which will be needed in the loaded AFC West.
  • Weaknesses: The only shortcoming is sometimes he won't take the deep shot or it will be inaccurate, but with the confidence in his top 3 weapons, that should improve.
• Backfield
  • Strengths: The running back group has a lot of tough, downfield runners in it, while still having elusive options. There will definitely be a run-by-committee philosophy which should prove beneficial.
  • Weaknesses: Durability. Most of the running backs on the roster have had health issues over their career. The run-by-committee setup should help remedy this.
• OL
  • Strengths: Kolton Miller. Also, all of the possible starting lineman should benefit from a power-blocking scheme for rushing, & be able to hold on long enough for passing downs.
  • Weaknesses: Quality of the rest of the line. All the possible starters have not been good up to this point, or are of unknown quality. This is the group that is going to make or break the Raiders season.
• Pass Catchers
  • Strengths: Options, options, options. This receiving corps should be a nightmare to defend, because you just don't have enough manpower to do it. How do you defend Adams, Waller, & Renfrow while also defending the run? The answer is you don't.
  • Weaknesses: Depth. If injuries do occur, then there will be a significant drop in quality. There is also not a great true #2 option with the likes of Robinson, Hollins, & Keelan Cole.
• DL
  • Strengths: Crosby & Jones. These two elite defenders are going to wreak havoc on offensive lineman & quarterbacks across the league.
  • Weaknesses: Interior DL. With Hankins being the only sure thing in the defensive line rotation, there are a lot of questions on the quality of the 3-tech defensive tackles, & the rotational pieces behind them.
• LB
  • Strengths: Perryman. You have a rock-solid commander leading the defense on the field. With the coverage skills of the linebackers brought in, this unit should be improved compared to last year.
  • Weaknesses: Run-stopping ability. Perryman is the only real proven run-stopper, with the rest of the linebackers having questionable run-stopping abilities at best.
• Secondary
  • Strengths: Man-coverage. The specialty of all the corners & safeties on the team is man, which is exactly what Patrick Graham will be running.
  • Weaknesses: Consistency & durability. All of the corners & safeties on the roster should be reliable, solid starters, but most have had issues with health in the past, which leads to problems with consistency.
• Special Teams
  • Strengths: This unit is rock-solid with Carlson nailing field goals like it's nothing, Cole booting back punts, & Sieg snapping bullets.
  • Weaknesses: Returning. With new faces all around, it's unknown how well the Raiders will be able to field kicks.

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Schedule Prediction:

Wk1 - @ LAC: W (1-0) - This game will be a battle, & really could go either way. However, I feel that the Chargers do what they do best, & choke the game away.

Wk2 - vs AZ: W (2-0) - Usually I'd be skeptical of playing the Cardinals in the first half of the season, but without DeAndre Hopkins, I think the Raiders are plenty capable of beating Arizona.

Wk3 - @ TEN: L (2-1) - This seems like where the Raiders get their first loss, but I feel like it could be any one of these first three games. The Titans ground attack ruins the Raiders plans of controlling the clock.

Wk4 - vs DEN: W (3-1) - I may not be in the majority on this, but I feel like the Broncos are EXTREMELY overhyped. I think they might be decent, with a chance to be mediocre.

Wk5 - @ KC - MNF: L (3-2) - Another game that will come down to the wire, I think in KC Reid outcoaches McDaniels & squeaks out a close one.

Wk6 - BYE

Wk7 - vs HOU: W (4-2) - I mean, c'mon, it's Houston! If the Raiders lose this one, I will be punching things.

Wk8 - @ NO: W (5-2) - While the Saints have the capability to be a sneaky good team, I feel they take a HUGE step back without Sean Payton. Also, Denis Allen is coaching, so we need this win.

Wk9 - @ JAX: W (6-2) - Yours truly will be in attendance at this game, so the Raiders better win. But in all seriousness, the Jags are still very much rebuilding, & will still be in the bottom half of the league.

Wk10 - vs IND: L (6-3) - The Colts really do hurt my brain sometimes, & my heart. I think Matt Ryan is an upgrade over Wentz (even in his old age), & will help control the game enough with Johnathan Taylor to win.

Wk11 - @ DEN: W (7-3) - Like I said before, Denver is way overhyped, & I think the Raiders pull one out in the Rockies, but it will be close.

Wk12 - @ SEA: W (8-3) - The Seahawks have a chance to be on the same level as the Texans or Bears this year... ouch! This one should be fun for Raiders fans.

Wk13 - vs LAC: L (8-4) - I think the Chargers are a really good team, but they get in their own way too much. However, I think they beat the Raiders where they lost the playoffs a year ago. *Note - I think the 2 Chargers games' results are interchangeable*

Wk14 - @ LAR - TNF: L (8-5) - This is the first really rough patch of the season for the Raiders, with back-to-back losses. The Rams are a really good team, & one I think McDaniels can't quite beat in his first year back.

Wk15 - vs NE - SNF: W (9-5) - This one is personal. All the coaching tricks that exist will be pulled out when two titans clash, with McDaniels standing when the rubble settles. It also helps I think the Patriots might be hot garbage this year. The learner officially becomes the master.

Wk16 - @ PIT - Christmas Eve SNF: W (10-5) - Again, a very personal game. On the 50th Anniversary of the Immaculate Deception, there will be fireworks. This will be a game of reclaiming honor for the Raiders' greats of yesteryear.

Wk17 - vs SF: W (11-5) - With the Raiders on a roll, this will be a tough game because SF will look to stop that roll. With the stakes far too high in the crowded AFC, the Raiders pull out a 4th-quarter comeback victory.

Wk18 - vs KC: W (12-5) - Mark my words: THIS GAME WILL BE FLEXED INTO SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL. Everything will be riding on this game (just like LV-LAC last year) and the NFL won't be able to help themselves. This game will be one of epic proportions, & will end with the Raiders getting their first division title in 20 years.

Final Record: (12-5), 1st in AFC West, 4th Seed (I think a reasonable range of records will be 10-7 to 13-4, finishing anywhere from 1st to 3rd in the Division, & making the playoffs in all but the 10-7 case).

Playoff Outcome: Beat BAL in Wild Card, Lose to BUF in Divisional.

*Note - I have the Bills winning the Super Bowl this year*

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NOTE - The rest of the article is in the comment below.